Daily

August was the longest month - 31 days each with a full 24 hours. Then how can it already be that September is almost half gone? I think a lot about the space time continuum and how God is outside of time. Time is such a weird concept to experience. It is fun to try to teach the little girls in my life about today, tomorrow, next week, the days of the week, months, the order of the calendar year. But really isn't it MUCH more important to learn to live EVERY SINGLE DAY?

I read a blog recently about "everyday wonderful." One of our goals in this move is to readjust our thinking and enjoy every day, not wishing we were somewhere else doing something else. Yes, there will still be those days when we are somewhere we don't want to be or doing something we didn't especially want to be doing, but hopefully those will be the exception, not the rule.

Another idea to ponder is from James MacDonald, as quoted on my friend Nancy's tweet: The circumstances of life either shrink or stretch your faith. Either you get better or you get bitter.

We are dealing with some circumstances right now that have the potential to shrink or stretch. Alan spent some time last week with his sister at Duke hospital and things did not go as we had hoped. Will we grow and stretch, so our faith becomes larger and our life more expansive, or will we shrink from this experience and become small, bitter, and hard? Our choice.

We have done some fun things already in September. For our 18th wedding anniversary we purchased a tandem kayak and took it for a maiden voyage on Lake Issaqueena near Clemson. It was a beautiful day and we had so much fun. Even caught a few fish. This past Sunday afternoon we got out on the tandem bike for the first time in I can't remember when. Hoping to ride a fundraiser in Greenwood October 9th, so we'd better get some miles in. We went to the first Clemson game of the season, but skipped the second. This weekend is away and then an open date, so football season seems a bit delayed to me. I'll really get into it in October, I think.

Thursday the 16th is a big day. We hope to close on the Greenwood house and get the painters started. Move is scheduled for 27th-29th. I will also be volunteering at NewSpring for a leadership conference. We get to serve probably 2500 church leaders who are coming to Anderson to hear nationally known church leaders, including Rick Warren. At NewSpring. In Anderson. God is so funny to do this.

NewSpring has been lots of fun lately. During the I Love the 80s series in August HUNDREDS of people accepted Christ. (And the music was fun too!) Now we are in a 3 week series The Blessed Life. First week 100 people got baptized and another 100 accepted Christ. Lives are being changed. Praise God!

PS - the weather report: it is absolutely gorgeous weather in SC right now. These are the days that make fall my favorite time of year. September and October are perfect. Not too hot. A little cool. Lower hunidity. Blue skies. Sunny but getting dark earlier every day. I can hardly stand to be inside.

Happy Day! September is here

For those who follow my blog for the weather report in SC, I am happy to report that the swelter of summer is behind us and fall is in the air. It is cool and pleasant outside at 7am, not hot and sticky. It heats up during the day still but Alan swears the humidity is down and you can cool off in the shade.

We close on our house in 15 days! Last Saturday we bought all new living room furniture - a couch, loveseat, chaise and 6 piece entertainment center. Alan is meeting the painter today, so things are getting done.

August was an amazing month to be part of NewSpring. The momentum built all month and this past Sunday all 4 campuses broke non-holiday attendance records - 14,100 people total worshipped at NewSpring Sunday. And the BEST part was that over 500 people confessed Jesus as Lord and accepted the free gift of salvation that He offers.

Football is just 3 days away. I can hardly wait to be in Death Valley Saturday afternoon.

Our 18th wedding anniversary is Monday. How nice to have a holiday to celebrate! I am so blessed to be married to Alan and more in love with him than ever.